This is a list of rodents of Australia.Van Dyke, S. and Strahan, R. (eds.) (2008) The Mammals of Australia, Third Edition, New Holland / Queensland Museum, Brisbane Menkhorst, P. and Knight, F. (2001) A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne Australia has a large number of indigenous rodents, all from the family Muridae. The "Old endemics" group are member of tribe Hydromyini, which reached Australasia between 11 – 9 million years ago from Asia, while the "New endemics", members of the tribe Rattini, are presumed to have arrived more recently, between 4 – 3 million years ago, also from Asia.http://www.publish.csiro.au/samples/native%20Mice%20and%20rats%20sample.pdf Bill Breed., Fred Ford., 2007 native Mice and rats, Australian Natural History Series, CSIRO publications] Murid rodents are one of the few placental mammals to have managed to cross the Wallace Line and colonize Australasia (which previously only contained marsupial and monotreme mammals) prior to European settlement, the others being bats and humans who, in turn, introduced the dingo.
The black rat, brown rat, Pacific rat and house mouse were accidentally introduced to Australia with European settlement, as was a small population of the five-lined palm squirrel near Perth. Grey squirrels have, since introduction, been eradicated from Australia.
Old "endemics" *
Muridae White-footed rabbit-rat†, Conilurus albipes - extinct Brush-tailed rabbit rat, Conilurus penicillatus Rakali (water rat), Hydromys chrysogaster Forrest's mouse, Leggadina forresti Lakeland Downs mouse, Leggadina lakedownensis Lesser stick-nest rat†, Leporillus apicalis – extinct Greater stick-nest rat, Leporillus conditor Broad-toothed mouse, Mastacomys fuscus Grassland melomys, Melomys burtoni Cape York melomys, Melomys capensis Fawn-footed melomys, Melomys cervinipes Bramble Cay melomys†, Melomys rubicola – extinct Black-footed tree-rat, Mesembriomys gouldi Golden-backed tree-rat, Mesembriomys macrurus Spinifex hopping mouse, Notomys alexis Short-tailed hopping mouse†, Notomys amplus – extinct Northern hopping mouse, Notomys aquilo Fawn hopping mouse, Notomys cervinus Dusky hopping mouse, Notomys fuscus Long-tailed hopping mouse†, Notomys longicaudatus – extinct Big-eared hopping mouse†, Notomys macrotis – extinct Mitchell's hopping mouse, Notomys mitchelli Darling Downs hopping mouse†, Notomys mordax – extinct Great hopping mouse†, Notomys robustus- extinct Prehensile-tailed rat, Pogonomys mollipilosus Ash-grey mouse, Pseudomys albocinereus Silky mouse, Pseudomys apodemoides Plains rat, Pseudomys australis Bolam's mouse, Pseudomys bolami Kakadu pebble-mound mouse, Pseudomys calabyi Western pebble-mound mouse, Pseudomys chapmani Little native mouse, Pseudomys delicatulus Desert mouse, Pseudomys desertor Shark Bay mouse, Pseudomys fieldi Smoky mouse, Pseudomys fumeus Blue-grey mouse†, Pseudomys glaucus – extinct Gould's mouse, Pseudomys gouldi Eastern chestnut mouse, Pseudomys gracilicaudatus Sandy inland mouse, Pseudomys hermannsburgensis Long-tailed mouse, Pseudomys higginsi Central pebble-mound mouse, Pseudomys johnsoni Kimberley mouse, Pseudomys laborifex Western chestnut mouse, Pseudomys nanus New Holland mouse, Pseudomys novaehollandiae Western mouse, Pseudomys occidentalis Hastings River mouse, Pseudomys oralis Pilliga mouse, Pseudomys pilligaensis Eastern pebble-mound mouse, Pseudomys patrius Heath mouse, Pseudomys shortridgei Giant white-tailed rat, Uromys caudimaculatus Masked white-tailed rat, Uromys hadrourus False water rat, Xeromys myoides Common rock rat, Zyzomys argurus Arnhem Land rock rat, Zyzomys maini Carpentarian rock rat, Zyzomys palatalis Central rock rat, Zyzomys pedunculatus Kimberley rock rat, Zyzomys woodwardi
New "endemics" *
Muridae Dusky rat, Rattus colletti Bush rat, Rattus fuscipes Cape York rat, Rattus leucopus Swamp rat, Rattus lutreolus Canefield rat, Rattus sordidus Pale field rat, Rattus tunneyi Long-haired rat, Rattus villosissimus
Introduced
Muridae House mouse¤, Mus musculus Pacific rat¤, Rattus exulans Brown rat¤, Rattus norvegicus Black rat¤, Rattus rattus
Sciuridae Five-lined palm squirrel¤, Funambulus pennantii Grey squirrel¤, Sciurus carolinensis – now extinct in Australia
Notes † Extinct
¤ Introduced
* Several of these species are not actually endemic to Australia, but to the Australasian realm, which includes Papua New Guinea and eastern Indonesia. The headings "Old Endemics" and "New Endemics" are used here in that sense (after StrahanStrahan, R. (ed.) (1995) The Mammals of Australia, Revised (second) Edition, Reed New Holland, Sydney ).
See also List of mammals of Australia List of monotremes and marsupials of Australia List of bats of Australia List of placental mammals introduced to Australia List of marine mammals of Australia
References
External links Species listing